Graca Machel from Mozambique has been selected for the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2025.The decision was taken by an international jury chaired by former National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon.The award includes a cash prize of ₹1 crore along with a citation and a trophy.

Why Graca Machel was Chosen
¨     She was recognised for path-breaking work in education, health, nutrition, economic empowerment and humanitarian action under difficult conditions.
¨     She led a landmark United Nations study in the 1990s on the impact of armed conflict on children, which reshaped global humanitarian responses.
¨     She has founded and worked with institutions focused on women’s empowerment, child development, and social transformation.
¨     She is regarded as a distinguished African stateswoman whose life’s work centres on self-determination and the protection of vulnerable communities.
¨     She served as First Lady of Mozambique and later as First Lady of South Africa and is the widow of former leaders Samora Machel and Nelson Mandela.
Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development
¨     The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development is an annual award established in 1986 by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
¨     It is presented to individuals, organizations, or institutions that have made exceptional contributions to international peace, disarmament, and development.
¨     The recipients of the award are chosen by an international jury, comprising distinguished personalities from various fields.